The RCMP launched an investigation into Premier Doug Ford’s decision to open the Greenbelt for housing development.
The probe will be led by its Sensitive and International Investigations Unit. According to the RCMP’s website, the division investigated cases involving fraud, financial crimes, corruption and allegations of illegal lobbying activities.
The announcement Tuesday afternoon came after weeks of pressure from the Opposition to look into the details behind the Greenbelt plan.
The Ford government said that they will be cooperating with the investigation.
“We have zero tolerance for any wrongdoing and expect anyone involved in the decision-making of the Greenbelt lands to have followed the letter of the law,” the government said in a statement.
Ford announced on Sept. 21 that he would be reversing his plans to remove 15 parcels of land from the Greenbelt to help meet the goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031. At least 50,000 homes were expected to be built on those lands. His initial plan was announced in November last year.
Ford said he had established a process that left “too much room for people to benefit over others” and apologized for breaking his 2018 promise not to build on the Greenbelt.
In the months leading to Ford scrapping the plan, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) had begun probes into the decision process. The investigations targeted former Housing Minister Steve Clark for allegations that he had tipped off certain land developers about the changes.
Clark and former minister Kaleed Rasheed resigned from the Conservative caucus amid the probes.
A few days after the Greenbelt plan was scrapped, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles led the charge to put pressure on Ford’s government to release the details surrounding his decision.
“The conservatives rigged the system to benefit their friends,” she said in Ontario’s question period. “It’s so bad that it’s been turned over to the RCMP.”
The probes led by the OPP were handed over to federal officers on Aug. 23 and said the move aimed to avoid any potential conflict of interest.
There has been no indication if the criminal investigations will affect the province’s upcoming Greenbelt proceedings.
The government is currently conducting a “top to bottom” review of the Greenbelt two years earlier than its mandated date.
They are also set to introduce a bill on Oct. 16 that will return all removed sites to the Greenbelt. The new bill will add a more lengthy process to any future Greenbelt changes by requiring the government to proceed through legislation instead of only regulation.
The RCMP has not placed a timeline on their investigation process and said they will not be providing any updates at this time.